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Valentine's Day

Okay, so I’m going to be 56 next week and I’m still capable of doing something so stupid that I’m still shaking my head over it. I plead temporary insanity caused by a lack of oxygen to my brain! At least I’m being honest enough to admit it.

Friday was a great day! It was the one-year anniversary of my surgery and I felt wonderful. No pain. No limp. Reminded everyone I encountered that last year I was on the surgeon’s table. ‘Course I did notice that we had a bit of a problem at school. The nurse’s office kept filling up and she kept sending student’s home. Lots of fever, coughing, rashes, sore throats. Several of my students joined the homeward bound. By Friday afternoon my throat was a bit sore.

Saturday I felt bad, but I had lots of things to do. Can’t stop for a headache and sore throat!

Sunday I felt terrible. Had a fever, headache, congestion, burning throat. Stayed home from church and I really don’t remember much except being sick.

Monday…

Monday is when the whole oxygen deprivation took over, because I went to school. Yes, I got in my car and drove 57 miles to work. One of my colleagues looked at me and asked “Why in the world are you here?” I couldn’t think of an answer. In my own defense I don’t think I really felt all that bad when I got up. And I don’t have one of those “no one else can do it” attitudes about teaching my class. I mean last year I was out for eight weeks and my class survived. Looking back on Monday,I think I was just in total disbelief that I could possibly be seriously sick again.I’m hardly ever sick. Broken, busted, sprained, twisted, hurt, cut, injured, yes, YES. But sick…not really. Hardly ever. And I usually bounce back in a day or two at most. And I was just sick a few weeks ago. Gary and I were both sick. Also unusual. Now we were both sick again. And that my friends should have been my first clue. According to our doctor if you are sick, well, and then sick again in a matter of weeks, it is NOT a good sign.

Anyway, I spent the day whispering to my students while holding my head upright. They were actually quite understanding and well behaved. By the afternoon I had a fever again and I was chastising myself for not taking care of myself.I’m not sure how I managed to drive home, but I’m thankful that God helps the weak and the stupid, because I was both. On the way home my nose started bleeding and that was a bit startling.

As soon as I walked in the door I called my doctor and made an appointment for the next morning. Everything after that is a painful blur.

The next morning I felt better and I wondered for a moment…a moment…why I’d been in such a panic to call the doctor. Before he left for work Gary asked me to make an appointment for him for the next day. Okay, here’s where it gets really stupid. Funny, but stupid. I pull into the clinic parking lot two hours later and think briefly that the silver Mustang in the next space looks an awful lot like ours. Then I go to the reception desk and S. asks me if I’m looking for Gary. “No,” I reply, “I’m just here for my appointment.” Okay. So I’m in the first exam room, hooked up to the BP machine and Gary pops his head in the door. “What are you doing here?” I ask. Well, duh… He felt sick enough to stop by the office and ask them to “squeeze him in”. So we both spent most of Valentine’s Day at the doctor’s office. We must have looked pitiful because despite a little good-natured teasing about being there because of “excessive lip-locking” everyone was very, very kind, even the nurse who had to duck my quick fist when she tried to swab my throat a third time. Purely reflex I swear! I didn’t lay a hand on the one who poked my finger or even the one who swabbed my nose. Our doctor felt so sorry for us as we waited for all the lab results that he went up to the front desk and found us some heart shaped cookies! ‘Course my throat was so sore I had to decline, but he meant well. LOL

After all the tests came back it was determined that we have a nasty little virus. Lots of those around. We just had to pick a tough one. Apparently we could have easily spent time in matching hospital gowns. But we’re on the mend now. My head is clearing enough to write this. (It took me five tries to type the previous “sick” entry.) I’ve been without fever for several hours. Gary has stopped coughing every five minutes. No headaches for either of us. As a postscript though, don’t believe everything you read on a prescription label. Ours said “may cause drowsiness”. Gary slept like a baby. I was up until 2am watching TV!

Okay, what have we learned from this? Take care of yourself. Get to a doctor if you are sick. Get their faster if you’ve had the sick, well, sick scenario. Don’t be stupid!

Comments

Sorry you two have had such a difficult few days. Sure hope you get to feeling better before your birthday. So that means QUICKLY since your birthday is tomorrow. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR MARY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! There, I sang to you.
Love, Marilyn